Takeaways from Day 2 at Bears training camp
By Adam Rossow Heat and humidity marked the second day of training camp for the Bears in Bourbonnais. Medill’s Adam Rossow takes in the action and gives us his three takeaways from Friday’s late-morning practice. [vimeo 176852764 w=474]
Softball star Monica Abbott returns to face her former team
By Adam Rossow Former Chicago Bandits star Monica Abbott pitched against her ex-team for the first time this season on Wednesday. She signed a six-year deal worth $1 million to join the Scrap Yard Dawgs this spring, after spending the last five seasons with the Bandits. Medill’s Adam Rossow caught up with Abbott and a […]
Chasing Nojel
By Julia Cardi When the final afternoon bell rang in Evanston Township High School at 3:35, a rush of teenagers and their cacophony of end-of-day chatter flooded the hallways. The open space adjacent to the school’s various athletic facilities clogged with kids heading to practices; in the locker rooms, they traded Timberland boots and jeans […]
Chicago junior tennis rallies against decline in sportsmanship
By Erin Barney The world would have forgiven Novak Djokovic if he threw his racquet after losing to Sam Querrey in the third round of Wimbledon Sunday. Fans have understood when Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Andy Murray and countless other pros took anger out on their equipment, and would have given the No. 1 player […]
Undocumented father takes sanctuary in church
By Bian Elkhatib J ose Juan Federico Moreno has not left University Church in Hyde Park since April 15. He is seeking sanctuary from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after they asked him to self-deport to Mexico. [vimeo 168295184 w=474] Moreno, who is from Bolingbrook, has a wife and five U.S. citizen children. He was […]
Pat Summitt’s reach and inspiration seen in Illinois athletes
By Erin Barney Pat Summitt was a game changer. Not just in the cliché sense of the phrase, though. The former University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach and winningest coach in Division I history certainly was a pivotal figure. But she transcended the common expression and literally changed women’s basketball. Summitt died yesterday in Knoxville, […]
Project Onward Helps Disabled Express Their Art
By Vishakha Darbha William Douglas has been creating art since he was a child. But unlike other children, he stayed away from the company of people. As someone who battles social anxiety, Douglas found a haven in Project Onward, a not-for-profit studio and gallery for artists with physical and developmental disabilities. [vimeo 167960801 w=474] Video: […]
Chicago Mosaic: Blistering politics, Bronzeville jazz and Asian karaoke
The mosaic of Chicago rocks with blistering politics, Bronzeville jazz, contentious CHA commercial deals and Asian karaoke. Protesters face arrest at the BP refinery. Artists paint outdoor murals right across the windows of vaulting city walls. And the Internet of Things hands you remote control over a galactic system or all your wireless networks. Find […]
Ready for change: a local muralist aims to beautify tough neighborhoods
By Torene Harvin Rahmaan ‘Statik’ Barnes is more than just the man who painted the Prince mural in Avalon Park. He has made it a mission to make many of the city’s tough neighborhoods more appealing. [vimeo 170722175 w=474]
Local Programs Ensure Ex-Offenders Can Look Forward to Brighter Future
By Torene Harvin A Medill Newsmakers Report In this edition of Medill Newsmakers, three guests shared what they are doing to keep young men and women out of prison and on a path to success. [vimeo 169989381 w=474]